NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: The Microsoft logo is seen at an Experience Center on Fifth Avenue on April 03, 2024 in New York City. A Cyber Safety Review Board, created in 2021 by executive order and led by Homeland Security, released a report that detailed lapses by Microsoft that led to a targeted Chinese hack last year of top U.S. government officials email that included the email of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Michael M. Santiago / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
TOKYO (AFP) – Microsoft on Tuesday announced a USD2.9 billion investment over the next two years in Japan to bolster the country’s push into artificial intelligence and strengthen its cyber defences in the face of threats from China and Russia.
The announcement coincides with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Washington, underscoring Tokyo’s commitment to becoming a major AI power.
Japan is also expanding its semiconductor industry with the help of big foreign investment. Taiwanese chip behemoth TSMC opened a new USD8.6-billion chip factory in southern Japan in February, and is planning a second facility.
Microsoft has become a major player in the advancement of AI through its partnership with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI — propelling it past Apple as the world’s biggest company by market capitalisation.
“This is Microsoft’s single largest investment in its 46-year history in Japan,” said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, who met Kishida on Tuesday.
The Microsoft logo is seen at an Experience Center on Fifth Avenue on April 03, 2024 in New York City. PHOTO: AFP
“These investments are essential ingredients for Japan to build a robust AI economy.”
The investment includes providing “more advanced computing resources”, according to Smith, including powerful graphics processing units crucial for running AI applications.
Microsoft also pledged to invest in training three million Japanese workers in AI skills over the next three years, and announced the opening of its first Microsoft Research Asia lab in Tokyo that will work on AI and robotics.
The US company also unveiled plans to collaborate with Japan’s government to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity following an increase in hacking and breaches.
“The threat landscape for cybersecurity has become more challenging,” Smith told the Nikkei news outlet.
“We’re seeing that from China and from Russia in particular, but we’re also seeing growing ransomware activity around the world.”
Google in March also launched a new cybersecurity hub in Japan, aimed at helping to upgrade defences in the Asia-Pacific.
Kishida will meet President Joe Biden on Wednesday with defence ties high on the agenda, but also cooperation in technology from space to semiconductors.
Motivated by geopolitical concerns surrounding Taiwan, Tokyo is seeking to bring back the 1980s glory days when Japanese firms such as Toshiba and NEC dominated the microchip market.
As well as the TSMC plants, Japan is ploughing around $6 billion into its next-generation semiconductor venture called Rapidus, involving a host of Japanese firms including Sony and Toyota.
Rapidus is collaborating with US giant IBM with the aim of mass-producing two-nanometre logic chips in Japan from 2027.
On Tuesday, alongside Microsoft’s investment, two new AI research partnerships were announced between four US and Japanese universities.
The research programmes, funded by tech firms including Nvidia, Amazon, Arm and SoftBank Group as well as Microsoft, “can help set the standard in this fast-evolving field”, US Ambassador Rahm Emanuel said.
Rene Haas, CEO of British chip designer Arm, also hailed the “historic” new university partnerships.
“The unprecedented progress we’ve seen in AI will transform virtually every industry and improve countless lives,” he said.
SINGAPORE (ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES) – Singapore authorities have seized over SGD7 million worth of vapes from distribution networks between January and March, intensifying efforts to curb vaping.
The island-state’s Health Ministry and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) reported that over 2,200 individuals were apprehended for possessing or using vapes during this period.
Notably, around 250 cases involved individuals caught with vapes in schools and institutes of higher learning.
Additionally, approximately 1,950 people were nabbed through increased patrols in public areas like the Central Business District, entertainment outlets, and shopping centres.
Since March, all offenders, including first-time offenders in educational institutions, caught buying, using, or possessing vapes face fines of up to SGD2,000.
During the first quarter of 2024, 40 vape-related cases were detected at the borders during joint operations. Of these, 10 people were caught for smuggling vapes into Singapore, while another 30 were found to be in possession of vapes.
Meanwhile, the authorities said 16 social media services and e-commerce platforms have been warned for hosting vaping-related content.
Between January and March, more than 2,200 people were caught for possessing or using vapes. PHOTOS: ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES SOURCE
They said each platform was issued a letter of notice on March 11 to remind them that hosting such content runs afoul of tobacco control rules.
They added: “The onus is on social media services and e-commerce platforms to exercise due diligence and proactively remove vaping-related content.
“Enforcement actions may be taken against the platforms that are found with inadequate processes to detect and remove vaping-related contents.”
Those convicted of importing, distributing, selling or offering vapes and their components for sale can face a fine of up to SGD10,000, or imprisonment of up to six months, or both for the first offence.
For the second or subsequent offence, they face a fine of up to SGD20,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both.
PHOTO: ENVATO
Members of the public who have information on the illegal possession, use, purchase, import, distribution, sale or offer for sale of e-vaporisers can contact HSA’s Tobacco Regulation Branch on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037.
In the coming months, HSA and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority will continue to conduct more inter-agency operations at Singapore’s checkpoints, the joint statement said.
Teen among five linked to vape bust
On January 17, HSA found two people peddling vapes at Northpoint City in Yishun.
This led to a raid of a warehouse at 31 Woodlands Close, where more than 81,000 vapes and related components valued at over SGD1.1 million were seized.
Five people aged between 19 and 39 are assisting with investigations.
PHOTO: ENVATO
Longest jail sentence for vape-related offences so far
See Hong Jian, 22, was sentenced on Feb 1 to a consolidated jail term of 10 months and fined SGD16,000 for the sale of vapes and related components.
See was apprehended in 2023 for his involvement in the sale of e-vaporisers.
Upon further investigation, HSA officers identified and raided a warehouse unit, which led to a haul of over 140,000 vapes and components worth more than SGD3 million.
So far, five people, including See, linked to the operation have been convicted.
Over SGD6m record seizure of vaping products
On March 19, following a roadblock by the police at St Andrew’s Road, two men were discovered to be transporting two packages of vapes in their car.
HSA subsequently raided two warehouse units and found more than 400,000 e-vaporisers and components with a record street value of over SGD6 million.
This was the largest seizure of e-vaporiser products by HSA to date, exceeding the 2023 case, where more than SGD3 million worth of vapes and related components were seized.
Five people aged 21 to 37 are currently assisting in the investigation.
Another four people, aged 22 to 38, were apprehended and referred to the police for attempting to break into the warehouse on March 23 and March 26 to try to steal the vapes and related components.
US President Joe Biden speaks about the care economy at Union Station in Washington, DC, on April 9, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
GAZA STRIP, Palestinian Territories (AFP) – US President Joe Biden issued some of his sternest criticism yet of Israel’s war on Hamas, calling its approach a “mistake” as the country faces a Wednesday court deadline to prove it is not throttling aid to hunger-stricken Gaza.
With global outrage over the toll inflicted by the six-month-old war growing, Biden rebuked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict and reiterated the need for a ceasefire.
“I think what he’s doing is a mistake. I don’t agree with his approach,” Biden told Spanish-language TV network Univision in an interview that aired Tuesday night.
He urged Netanyahu “to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country”, in remarks that underscored the dramatic shift in tone from Israel’s main ally and military backer.
Biden’s comments come as US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators seek progress on a truce and hostage release deal that also proposes ramping up aid deliveries to address a worsening hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Israel insists it is not limiting aid and has complied with US and United Nations demands to scale up the deliveries.
The government faces a Wednesday deadline from the country’s Supreme Court to demonstrate it has taken steps to increase the flow of humanitarian goods.
The case was brought by five NGOs that accuse Israel of restricting the entry of relief items and failing to provide basic necessities to Gazans.
The UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said Tuesday that following reports of imminent famine, more than 40 per cent of food delivery missions were denied in February and March. None of the UNRWA food convoys have been approved since March, it added.
Humanitarians have accused Israel of using starvation as a method of war in Gaza, where UN experts say 1.1 million people — half the population — are experiencing “catastrophic” food insecurity.
The Israeli agency that oversees supplies into the territory, COGAT, said 741 aid trucks had crossed into Gaza on Sunday and Monday, with another 468 entering on Tuesday.
Before the October 7 start of the war, about 500 trucks supplied Gaza daily.
Samantha Power, administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), said recent days have seen a “sea change” in deliveries to Gaza, but added that Israel needs to do more.
“We have famine-like conditions in Gaza and supermarkets filled with food within a few kilometres away,” she told US lawmakers during a Tuesday hearing.
‘Less than encouraging’
The White House has said Israel has taken “some steps forward” in securing a truce, while Hamas’s response has been “less than encouraging”.
Under the latest proposal, fighting would stop for six weeks, about 40 women and child hostages in Gaza would be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and up to 500 aid trucks would enter Gaza per day, according to a Hamas source.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has accused Israel of failing to respond to demands for an end to the war, while Netanyahu maintains Israel must achieve the twin goals of bringing home “all our hostages” and eliminating militants from the strip.
Finding himself increasingly internationally isolated over the bloodiest-ever Gaza war, Netanyahu on Tuesday told military recruits that “no force in the world” would stop Israeli troops from entering the southern Gazan city of Rafah.
“We will complete the elimination of Hamas’s battalions, including in Rafah,” he said, after earlier declaring a date for the operation had been set.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had no indication of an “imminent” assault on the city, the last in Gaza to be the target of a ground invasion and where around 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering.
Blinken added that he doubted Israel would attack Rafah before next week, when a delegation is set to visit Washington.
US officials have repeatedly aired objections to such an attack, including during Biden’s call last week with Netanyahu.
“A full-scale military invasion of Rafah would have an enormously harmful effect” on civilians trapped there and “would ultimately hurt Israel’s security”, said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
Israel has invited tenders for 40,000 large tents, according to a document on the defence ministry website — part of its preparations to evacuate Rafah ahead of an offensive, a government source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
‘Moral failure’
Israel’s has killed at least 33,360 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
The carnage wrought by the war was on full display at the destroyed Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where relief teams and relatives have been scouring for human remains among piles of concrete and twisted rebar.
Health workers in white hazmat suits wandered between bombed-out buildings as diggers plied mounds of rubble.
“The stench of death is everywhere,” said Motasem Salah, director of the Gaza Emergency Operations Centre.
The World Health Organisation said Israel’s two-week raid had transformed Gaza’s largest medical complex into a ruin.
“When the dead are buried properly, they can be identified later with forensic examinations, giving loved ones some consolation,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on social media on Tuesday. “This war is a moral failure of humanity.”
CNA – In the moments you raise your voice to quell chaos or belt out your favourite tunes, there’s a symphony of delicate tissues silently doing the heavy lifting. Deep within your throat, your vocal cords, alongside the intricate workings of your nose, mouth, and throat, act as the conductors of your voice’s symphony.
Together, they control the pitch, volume, and unique timbre that define your voice – whether you’re hitting high notes like Miley Cyrus or resonating with the depth of Morgan Freeman.
Your voice’s uniqueness (yes, like your thumbprints) can also be affected by emotions, like the higher-pitched voice you may unconsciously use to interact with a puppy or baby.
Interestingly, hormones may play a part in how you sound as well; University of California researchers found that hormonal changes during a woman’s most fertile part of her menstrual cycle can cause her pitch to rise, perhaps because women with higher voices are often perceived as more attractive.
Even if you don’t use your voice for a living the way teachers, presenters, singers and those working in sales do, it still pays to take good care of your vocal cords – and not only when you have a sore throat or lose your voice just before an important presentation. Here’s a look at what vocal cords are and how to spot trouble.
WHAT ARE VOCAL CORDS?
The words “vocal cords” may give off the wrong impression as they aren’t like the strings on a guitar that vibrate when plucked.
At just 12mm to 24mm long and 3mm to 5mm thick, your vocal cords are actually two ivory-coloured bands of tissue in your voice box or larynx (that protruding, bony bit in your throat).
Small muscles surrounding your vocal cords snap the cords open and close, “causing them to vibrate rapidly and produce sound” when air passes through them, according to Dr Charn Tze Choong, the head and senior consultant with Sengkang General Hospital’s Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) – Head and Neck Surgery.
“These muscles that surround the vocal cords are divided into intrinsic and extrinsic muscles,” he continued. “Intrinsic muscles execute exquisite coordination to not just vibrate the cords, but also lengthen, tighten, slacken and perform minute changes to the cords’ thickness and tautness to change your voice’s amplitude and pitch.”
Extrinsic muscles, on the other hand, move the larynx as a whole and can also affect the pitch of the sound you produce.
Other than giving you a voice, vocal cords also prevent saliva, food and drink from entering the airway when you swallow, said Dr Charn.
Illustrations showing the extent of your vocal cords’ opening when you’re not speaking, whispering, and speaking calmly and loudly. PHOTO: CNA SOURCE
WHY DO MEN HAVE DEEP VOICES AND ADAM’S APPLES?
The name “Adam’s apple” apparently comes from the biblical tale of that bite of apple that Adam took in the Garden of Eden. It supposedly got lodged in his throat, even to this day in the throats of his descendants.
The medical explanation doesn’t involve any fruit eating though. Before puberty, girls and boys have the same larynx sizes but around ages eight to 13 for girls, and nine to 14 for boys, the larynx starts to grow and develop cartilage to protect the vocal cords. That’s when the difference starts to show or shall we say, sound.
Owing to boys’ higher testosterone levels during puberty, their vocal cords get thicker and longer than girls’, giving rise to their deeper voices. “In males, the vocal cords take longer to vibrate, hence, lowering the frequency of vibrations per second and lowering the pitch,” said Dr Charn.
Male larynxes also grow larger to accommodate the bigger vocal cords, giving rise to the Adam’s apple that you see in men. And get this: Those with a larger Adam’s apple tend to have a deeper voice. Imagine the size of the late James Earl Jones’s larynx.
WHAT’S THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO TO YOUR VOCAL CORDS?
Screaming, yelling, coughing, repeatedly clearing the throat and overusing the voice can cause phonotrauma, which is trauma or physical stress to the delicate vocal cords, said Laura Chua, a senior principal speech therapist at Sengkang General Hospital.
“In the short term, there may be swelling of the vocal folds and mild changes in vocal quality. However, over time, repeated injury can lead to the development of vocal fold lesions or even scarring and more permanent hoarseness,” said Chua.
PHOTO: ENVATO
LOST YOUR VOICE OR SOUND HOARSE? IT COULD BE:
Vocal cord nodules: The most common causes are vocal cord nodules that result from voice overuse, said Dr Charn. “The nodules are sometimes named singers’ or teachers’ nodules as classically, they affect professions that use their voices the most intensively.”
What can happen is, the vocal folds swell and over time, the swollen spots harden like a callous. If the voice abuse continues, the spots can get larger and stiffer, and become nodules. Nodules are solid bumps and are non-cancerous but they can cause your voice to sound weak or hoarse.
Muscle tension dysphonia: This is another common cause of voice loss, said Chua. “It refers to excessive muscle tension in and around the larynx, resulting in hoarseness, vocal strain and discomfort while speaking.”
Chua said that muscle tension dysphonia can be caused by factors such as inefficient voice use, a throat infection, irritants such as acid reflux and increased vocal demand. “In some instances, it can be a reaction to stress and anxiety or an emotional life event.”
Vocal paralysis: When the nerve impulses to the larynx are disrupted, the vocal cord muscles become paralysed and are unable to open and close the vocal cords. In most cases, only one vocal cord is paralysed but it can already cause difficulties with speech, and significant issues with breathing and swallowing.
The possible causes can include nerve damage during surgery on the thyroid, throat or upper chest, viral infections such as COVID-19 and herpes, stroke, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and certain cancers.
Sore throat: When there is an infection caused by a cold virus, the voice box becomes congested with inflammatory white cells, said Dr Charn. “This congestion hinders the effective functioning of the vocal cords from opening and closing fully, leading to voice breaks, roughness, or loss of pitch during vocalisations.”
Age: Your skin isn’t the only organ that sags as you get older. “As one ages, the vocal cords lose their collagen matrix, becoming less full and plump,” said Dr Charn. “This can result in a tiny gap between closed cords, leading to voice weakness known as ‘asthenia of the voice’ and is diagnosed as presbyphonia or ageing voice.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENTS?
Look out for voice changes, voice breaks, ineffective communication and an inability to sustain a normal conversation at any point in time, said Dr Charn. Get yourself to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist to exclude other causes such as early cancer, and a speech therapist for voice therapy, he said.
The first line of treatment for many voice disorders, including vocal cord nodules and muscle tension dysphonia, is voice therapy, said Chua. It is a guided programme conducted by speech therapists and consists of:
Vocal hygiene: Reduce behaviours and lifestyle habits that may damage the voice, including staying hydrated, reducing acid reflux, and avoiding excessive loud talking.
Therapy exercises: Improve hoarseness and relieve symptoms associated with voice problems. The variety of techniques used can include posture adjustment, relaxation, breathing, airflow and resonant voice.
PHOTO: ENVATO
HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOUR VOCAL CORDS?
Taking a preventive approach is key, said Chua, who suggests these ways to care for your voice:
Drink plenty of water to hydrate the throat. A general guideline is to drink enough so that the urine is pale in colour.
Minimise the intake of food and drinks that can trigger acid reflux. Examples include spicy and fried foods, and caffeinated beverages. Acid reflux irritates the vocal folds and increases throat discomfort.
Schedule silence breaks to rest the voice. On days with heavy voice use, schedule quiet time during lunch break and in-between meetings.
Knowing your vocal limits such as your pitch, loudness and stamina – and stay within them. Avoid using your voice beyond what it can handle on a daily basis. Warm up your voice before rehearsals and performances, and give it ample time to rest thereafter. – Khoo Bee Khim
(FILES) Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra greets his supporters after landing at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport on August 22, 2023. Thailand's attorney general on April 10, 2024 postponed until May a decision over whether to indict ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra in a royal insult case. (Photo by Manan VATSYAYANA / AFP)
BANGKOK (AFP) – Thailand’s attorney general on Wednesday postponed until May a decision over whether to indict ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra in a royal insult case.
The divisive billionaire, twice elected premier and ousted in a 2006 military coup, was released on parole earlier this year after being jailed for graft and abuse-of-power charges upon his return from exile in 2023.
Thailand has some of the world’s strictest royal defamation laws protecting King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family, with each charge bringing a potential 15-year prison sentence.
The lese-majeste case relates to comments Thaksin made in 2015 while living in self-imposed exile. The 74-year-old has denied the charge.
(FILES) Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra greets his supporters after landing at Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport on August 22, 2023. PHOTO: AFP
“The attorney general has not decided on the case as investigators have not yet sent all the papers,” said Prayuth Pecharakun, Office of the Attorney General spokesperson.
“The Office has decided to make the decision on 29 May,” he said, adding Thaksin’s lawyer had been informed.
Thaksin returned to Thailand in August after 15 years of self-exile and was immediately jailed for eight years on charges dating back to his time in power.
His arrival coincided with his Pheu Thai party’s return to power in a controversial deal with pro-military parties.
The timing triggered rumours of a backroom deal to help Thaksin, speculation fuelled further when the king cut his jail sentence from eight years to one year just days later.
This photo provided by Mattel shows the new version of the board game Scrabble, that includes a new version called Scrabble Together. Mattel has unveiled a double-sided board that features both the classic word-building game and Scrabble Together, a new rendition aimed at making Scrabble more accessible “for anyone who finds word games intimidating." (Mattel via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) – Scrabble is getting a bit of a makeover, at least in Europe.
Mattel has unveiled a double-sided board that features both the classic word-building game and Scrabble Together, a new rendition designed to be accessible “for anyone who finds word games intimidating.”
This new version, which is now available across Europe, is advertised as being more team-oriented and quicker to play. The update marks the first significant change to Scrabble’s board in more than 75 years, Mattel said Tuesday.
“We want to ensure the game continues to be inclusive for all players,” Ray Adler, vice president and global head of games at Mattel said in a prepared statement, noting that consumers will still be able to choose between the classic game and new version.
Seeking to expand their reach, toy companies have rolled out alternative or simplified ways to play board games for years, ranging from “junior” editions made for younger children to multiple sets of instructions that players can opt into for increasing difficulty.
This photo provided by Mattel shows the new version of the board game Scrabble, that includes a new version called Scrabble Together. PHOTO: MATTEL
Scrabble Together is marketed toward players of all ages. Jim Silver, a toy-industry expert and CEO of review site TTPM, said the double-sided board is a smart approach because it allows players to switch from one mode to another as they wish.
Mattel’s announcement was also accompanied by a survey that offered a glimpse into some of the ways British consumers have previously tackled classic Scrabble.
London-based market researcher Opinion Matters found that 75 per cent of UK adults aged 25 to 34 have searched a word when playing the board-and-tile game to check if it’s real. And almost half (49 per cent) reported trying to make up a new word in hopes of winning.
Whether the new version will expand beyond Europe one day remains to be seen. While Mattel, which is based in El Segundo, California, owns the rights to Scrabble around much of the world, Hasbro licenses the game in the US, for example.
“Mattel and Hasbro have worked separately to develop different versions of Scrabble every year,” Silver said. As a result, some versions are only available in certain countries, creating an “interesting dynamic” for avid fans of the game, he added.
A spokesperson for Hasbro, based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, confirmed to The Associated Press via email Tuesday that the company currently has no plans for a US update — but added that the brand “love(s) the idea of different ways to play Scrabble and continue to attract new players to the game around the world.”
Scrabble’s origins date back to 1931, when American architect Alfred Mosher Butts invented the game’s forerunner. Scrabble’s original name was “Lexiko,” according to a Mattel factsheet, and before officially getting the Scrabble title and trademark in 1948, Butts’ creation was also called “Criss-Crosswords,” “It” and “Alph.”
Today, Scrabble is produced in 28 different languages. More than 165 million games have been sold in 120 countries around the world since 1948, according to Mattel, with an average of 1.5 million games sold globally each year.
Beyond the decades-old Scrabble fanbase, other word games have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, including Bananagrams and online guessing game Wordle.
SINGAPORE (ANN/STRAITS TIMES) – Muslims in Singapore will be celebrating Hari Raya Puasa on April 10, Singapore’s top Islamic leader said on April 9, the Straits Times reported.
Mufti Nazirudin Mohd Nasir said: “According to astronomical calculations, the crescent for the month of Syawal appeared during sunset today for 32 minutes.
“As such, I am pleased to announce that the first day of Syawal or Hari Raya Aidilfitri for the year 1445 Hijrah falls on Wednesday.”
Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli in a Hari Raya message said Muslims in Singapore should continue to nurture a spirit of compassion, contribution and charity beyond the month of Ramadhan.
In his Hari Raya Aidilfitri message on April 9, he commended the Muslim community for improving the lives of the unfortunate during Ramadhan.
Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli. PHOTO: ANN/STRAITS TIMES
“Through SalamSG Gives, we helped needy families so that they, too, can celebrate Syawal in joy,” he said in Malay.
The initiative, led by mosques, distributed food hampers and Ramadhan necessities to those in need.
“Our community also worked with various organisations, including the Government, to contribute generously to the humanitarian aid for Gaza.”
In a joint statement on April 9, Muslim organisations in Singapore – including Ain Society and AMP Singapore – called on the community to create a more caring and harmonious society, where people can thrive and build a future grounded in harmony and coexistence.
“Amid the conflict in Gaza, we are reminded of the importance of compassion, solidarity and also gratitude,” they said, as they decried the lives lost and broken families. “We unequivocally condemn all forms of aggression and join Singapore to call for an immediate ceasefire.
“May this Hari Raya Aidilfitri bring peace and kindness to the hearts of all mankind…. We hope that the spirit of Hari Raya inspires us to be agents of positive change, promoting tolerance, understanding and respect for all,” the statement said.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri decorations are seen on one of the main streets in Singapore. PHOTO: ANN/STRAITS TIMES
Mr Masagos, who is also Social and Family Development Minister, delivered his message, which was broadcast on television channel Suria, at the Hajjah Fatimah Mosque in Kampong Glam.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri, also known as Hari Raya Puasa, falls on April 10 in Singapore. It marks the first day of Syawal – the 10th month of the Islamic calendar and a symbolic time of renewal for Muslims.
Mr Masagos said: “As we welcome and celebrate the month of Syawal, let us continue to live our lives filled with love and compassion, confidence and wisdom, and spread the spirit of goodwill to all.”
Muslims take part in Eid al-Fitr prayers, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in Surabaya on April 10, 2024. (Photo by JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP)
JAKARTA (AFP) – On motorcycles, cars, buses, planes or by boat, millions of Indonesians have travelled to their hometowns in an annual exodus for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holiday that begins in the country on Wednesday.
Major seaports and toll roads have been packed in recent days, while airports and bus terminals were also full of travellers looking forward to reuniting with their families.
Motorcyclists wait to board a ferry to cross the Sunda Strait to return home ahead of Aidilfitri, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan, at Ciwandan port in Cilegon, Banten, on April 7, 2024. PHOTO: AFP
The annual migration known as “mudik”, or exodus, takes a toll on Indonesia’s roads. Travellers who pack their families and luggage into cars or motorbikes can face gruelling trips of 24 hours or longer.
Indonesia’s transport ministry says up to 193 million people were expected to travel for Aidilfitri this year, up from 123 million estimated to have made the trip last year in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
More than 28 million were forecast to have left the Greater Jakarta area alone, enduring hours of traffic or congested airports and seaports to celebrate the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with their families.
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi called on those making the exodus to avoid motorbikes and take ships, buses or trains instead for safety reasons.
So many people were making journeys home that the Indonesian navy deployed a battleship to transfer residents of capital Jakarta who failed to get tickets to the Javan cities of Semarang and Surabaya, state news agency Antara reported.
People watch fireworks set off by Muslim youths along a street, as they parade on the eve of Aidilfitri, which marks the end of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadhan, in Jakarta on April 9, 2024. PHOTO: AFP
Wosse Muhammad Arif Sani, a 28-year-old civil servant, spent 13 hours on the road in traffic to reach his wife’s Central Java hometown from Bogor, a city south of Jakarta.
“For me, mudik is our tradition. And the lengthy travel time or issues on the road, that’s the art, the excitement. Because the journey takes longer than usual. Seeing people on the road, that’s entertaining,” he told AFP.
“It’s like back to zero again, gathering with the family without looking at background or job. It’s a pleasure in itself.”
‘Undeterred’
This is the second exodus since the Covid-19 outbreak, and the enthusiasm for mudik has revitalised Indonesia’s battered transportation industry, which came to a standstill during the worst days of the pandemic.
Muslim children hold torches during a parade in a street in Medan, North Sumatra, on April 9, 2024, on the eve of Aidilfitri, which marks the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadhan. PHOTO: AFP
The government had barred people from partaking in the annual Aidilfitri exodus and applied tight travel curbs for several years to prevent the virus from spreading to rural areas.
Like China’s Lunar New Year holiday or Christmas, the mass movement kicks off an extended holiday when many Indonesians celebrate Aidilfitri, the end of the holy fasting month, with family.
Azhzhairia Choirunissa Hardi, a 28-year-old government worker, made an epic land and sea journey that took longer than a day to reach her parents’ home in Bengkulu on Sumatra island from Jakarta.
“This was the longest I’ve ever encountered,” she said.
“I personally am undeterred, because mudik is a yearly event. For me it’s not a tradition, but an obligation as a child to come back.”
Muslims take part in Aidilfitri prayers, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadhan, in Surabaya on April 10, 2024. PHOTO: AFP
JERTIH, 9 April -- Sebahagian kanak-kanak perantau bermain bunga api selepas pulang ke kampung untuk berbuka puasa bersama ahli keluarga dan menyambut Aidilfitri di Kampung Alor Belanga hari ini.
Orang ramai mula bercuti dan pulang ke kampung halaman masing-masing bagi meraikan Aidilfitri yang disambut pada 10 April ini, esok.
--fotoBERNAMA (2024) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA
KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) — Muslims nationwide started off Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations with Solat (prayers) at mosques and suraus Wednesday morning.
In KUALA LUMPUR, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, graciously attended the prayers at the Main Surau of Istana Negara, accompanied by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Cabinet.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia and Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with cabinet ministers performing the Aidilfitri prayers at the Surau Utama, Istana Negara. PHOTO: BERNAMA
In PERLIS, the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, performed the Aidilfitri prayers with over 1,200 congregants at Dataran Istiadat, Istana Arau, today, led by the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs) chief executive officer, Mohd Nazim Mohd Noor.
Also in attendance were the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, and the Raja Puan Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Dr Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil, along with their children, as well as Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli.
In KEDAH, the Sultan of Kedah, Al-Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, and the Sultanah of Kedah, Sultanah Maliha Tengku Ariff, graciously attended the prayers with the public at Masjid Zahir.
They were welcomed at 8.45 am by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, and over 3,000 worshippers who had come to perform the solat, led by the Grand Imam of the mosque, Sheikh Mohd Naim Ahmad.
In PAHANG, Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Tengku Ampuan Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah graciously performed the solat at Masjid Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah in Temerloh.
Also present were members of the royal family, including the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
They arrived at 8.30 am and were welcomed by Pahang Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, before performing the prayers, led by the Grand Imam of the mosque, Ahmad Hakim Shamsuddin.
In JOHOR, the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, performed the prayers at Masjid Negeri Sultan Abu Bakar in Johor Bahru with over 1,000 worshippers.
Muslims perform the Aidilfitri prayers at the compound of Istana Arau in Malaysian state of Perlis. PHOTO: BERNAMAChildren play firecrackers at the eve of Aidilfitri in Jertih, Terengganu. PHOTO: BERNAMA
JAKARTA (ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES) – In the bustling streets of Jakarta, amidst the clamour of modern life, Mr Zavaraldo Renaldy, a 28-year-old mapping surveyor, stands as a symbol of Indonesia’s shifting societal norms.
Educated, successful, and single, Mr Renaldy defies his parents’ traditional expectations by prioritising his career over marriage. Despite his openness to casual dating, he remains steadfast in his reluctance to commit to long-term relationships, much to his family’s dismay.
As Indonesia grapples with evolving attitudes towards matrimony, Mr Renaldy’s story reflects the complex interplay between tradition and modernity in the country’s social fabric.
A growing number of people in Indonesia, like Mr Zavaraldo, are putting off marriage. A total of 1.58 million couples said “I do” in 2023 – 128,000 fewer than in 2022. That number has been steadily falling since 2018, when 2.01 million marriages were recorded in the world’s fourth-most populous nation, according to Indonesia’s statistics agency.
“With very high competition in the workforce and expensive housing prices, you need more time to get ready to settle down and start a family,” said Mr Zavaraldo, who plans to marry only in his mid-30s.
Although Mr Zavaraldo’s parents are keen to see him settle down and start a family, he is adamant that nuptials will have to wait. Later in 2024, he plans to pursue his master’s degree in the Netherlands, in what he hopes will be a career-enhancing move.
While declining marriage figures might be common in countries with shrinking populations, Indonesia’s population is actually growing each year, which underscores concerns by experts of changing attitudes towards marriage.
South-east Asia’s most populous nation recorded a population of 277.5 million in 2023, compared with 267 million in 2018.
“Indonesia’s young population has been on the increase, but the number of marriages nationwide has been declining,” said sociologist Dede Oetomo, a professor of gender studies at Airlangga University in Surabaya, East Java.
Declining marriage rates would jeopardise Indonesia’s stated target of becoming a developed country by the time it celebrates its centennial of independence in 2045.
Indonesia wants to capitalise on its current demographic bonus – a period in which people of working age outnumber those who are economically dependent, which will peak between 2020 and 2035 – to avoid being stuck in the middle-income trap, Indonesia’s family planning agency (BKKBN) head Hasto Wardoyo told the source.
“If we do not do it right, the demographic bonus will pass, and it never gives leverage for the people’s welfare. Our population must be adequately high if we want to avoid a middle-income trap,” said Mr Hasto.
Mr Zavaraldo Renaldy, 28, is not averse to casual dating, but he has shied away from long-term commitments in order to focus on his career. PHOTO: ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES SOURCE
Countries fall into the middle-income trap if they are not able to move from a low-cost to a high-value economy. In order to transition successfully, there must be high enough population growth to help fuel economic growth. Hence, there is concern over declining marriages and subsequent birth rates.
At the same time, divorces are more common now, with 500,000 a year, compared with 10 years ago when there were between 250,000 and 300,000, noted Mr Hasto.
Indonesians as a whole are becoming more individualistic, choosing to pursue personal goals instead of following traditional and cultural norms that emphasise the wider society, and having a harder time committing to marriage and all it entails, said Mr Hasto.
A better-educated workforce and the financial burdens of marriage and children are perhaps the biggest factors standing in the way of Indonesian couples tying the knot, sociologists told the source.
While the Indonesian economy has shown resilience in its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic – which lasted from 2020 to early 2023 – the fallout is still felt on the ground, said Jakarta-based sociologist Musni Umar, adding that during that period, many lost their jobs and fresh graduates in particular faced a much harder time entering the workforce.
Since then, Indonesia has seen foreign investment inflows into the country and has booked decent export numbers, but these developments have not been best translated into jobs locally, Dr Musni noted.
Indonesia’s overall unemployment rate is one of the highest among its neighbours, standing at 5.3 per cent in August 2023. But its youth unemployment rate, referring to those ranging in age from 15 to 24, was much higher, at 19.4 per cent, according to Indonesia’s statistics agency. In comparison, Malaysia’s overall unemployment rate in January 2024 was at 3.3 per cent, according to Malaysian government data.
“A lot of things boil down to the economic factor. If the breadwinner husband loses his job, and hence income, his wife would most likely leave him. And those who haven’t found a job do not dare to get married,” Dr Musni told the source.
Some observers point to Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati’s too early move in ceasing the government’s Covid-19 incentives – affecting the country’s post-pandemic recovery – and while the government has offered free technical training and seminars to those who were laid off during the pandemic, any meaningful impact on growing the job market remains to be seen.
“If you get married, you have to move out of your parents’ house and have a new home,” said Mr Zavaraldo, adding that this is an extra expense he is not quite ready to handle.
The once-popular belief to “just get married first and whatever happens next, we face it together” has significantly faded, said Airlangga University’s Dr Dede, pointing out that decades ago, it was common for multi-generational families to live together. However, with the rise of nuclear families, young couples now bear the burden of finding affordable housing on their own.
And this is even before children enter the picture. The decline in marriage rates is mirrored by the decline in Indonesia’s total fertility rate (TFR), or births per woman. It recorded a TFR of 2.18 in 2022, compared with 2.48 in 2010, according to its statistics agency.
“It’s not that they hate children,” said Dr Dede, adding that the younger generation is very practical and hesitant about starting a family without first ensuring they are financially ready for such long-term commitments.
Even so, not everyone who is able to afford to start a family is thinking about marriage as the next step, said Dr Dede, noting the influence of modern views and with that, an increasing acceptance of individuals who choose to remain single or simply live together.
As a growing number of women enter the workforce, their increasing economic independence has also had an adverse impact on marriage rates.
“More females are now in the Indonesian workforce and a lot of them delayed marriage, thinking they had worked so hard in schools and had built a good career, so why lose what you have achieved,” said Dr Dede.
Further down the line, concerns over climate change and environmental uncertainty are also among the reasons for staving off marriage and parenthood. But that is another story, for another day.
